County football teams tackle first day of practice

Thursday

Aug 1, 2013 at 12:01 AMAug 1, 2013 at 8:23 PM

Alan Ford & Clark Leonard

It didn’t matter which high school campus you were on Thursday, the scene was the same.

Young men were sweating, coaches were yelling while managers and athletic trainers stood by waiting to do their assigned tasks. It was the first official day of football practice and the four Cleveland County schools joined their public school brethren across the state getting down to work for the new season.

On the first two days of football practice, headgear, shorts and football shoes constitute acceptable dress. On days three, four and five, shoulder pads may be added but no body contact is permitted.

On day six, full uniforms may be worn and full contact drills begin.

The first official date for scrimmages between schools in football is Aug. 10 and the first official playing date for the 2013 season is Aug. 23.

At Kings Mountain

First game: Aug. 23 at home versus Hunter Huss

Players on hand: 90 (varsity and JV)

Practice highlight: Kings Mountain coaches add a wrinkle by rolling a ‘cube’ to determine what regimen the practice will follow.

On each side of the diced cube are written such things as ‘pride drill, eight stations, running drills’ and the like, which determines what’s next.

“It just adds a little fun,” said Mountaineer coach Greg Lloyd. “They really pay attention when we roll the dice.”

Coachspeak: “We’ve got about 90 players, which is a good number,” Lloyd said. “We've pretty much got who we expected that was here during our summer workouts.

“We had a good first day. We’ve got a lot of young players. We worked the varsity and JV all together.”

Notable: Many of the same people who sit in folding chairs, in their trucks or just sit or stand on the grassy bank beside the Kings Mountain practice field are the same year-after-year. All are curious to see the prospects for the Mountaineers.

Among the familiar figues were Mearl Valentine, Gary Stewart and Larry Sipe. A new face driving a golf cart was former Crest assistant Jeremy Shields, now a school administrator at Kings Mountain High.

At Shelby

First game: Aug. 23 at Polk County

Players on hand: 90 (Varsity and JV)

Practice highlight: Shelby had three new assistant coaches working on the practice field with the Golden Lions' squad for the first time. Former Gardner-Webb player Jamie Dunaway, along with Justin Hawn and Ray Barkley are additions to coach Lance Ware’s staff for the 2013 campaign.

Coachspeak: “It was a great practice, there was a lot of enthusiasm out there on the field,” said Shelby coach Lance Ware. “I like their attitude.

“They (the players) have put in a lot of work. These seniors have done a lot, much of it on their own this summer. They have bought in to what we’re doing and they know what to expect out there.”

Notable: It wasn’t hard to pick up on a certain resounding rhythm to the Golden Lions’ opening practice. That’s because just across the parking lot from the practice field, the drum corps for the Shelby High marching band was hard at work as well. The cadences they produced helped add a little more energy to the atmosphere of the occasion.

At Crest

First game: Aug 23 at home versus South Point

Players on hand: 95-100 (varsity and JV)

Practice highlight: Coach Mark Barnes noted the play of his quarterbacks, P.J. Brooks and Cameron Peeler.

“Both of those guys were throwing really well,” Barnes said. “We’re trying to put them in situations where they’re comfortable.”

He said defenses won’t be able to defend the Chargers as easily this season with that improved aerial attack.

Coachspeak: “Today was a good day. I thought our players’ attitudes were good,” Barnes added. “We’re anticipating being very competitive on Thursday and Friday nights.

“The seniors that should produce have to produce. Our biggest question is how much youth will be served. Our young players have been working hard this summer. It will be a question of well we blend old and new.

“Dominique Roseboro, P.J. Brooks and Omar Brooks are juniors who have a lot of experience. Those guys have to play big for us.”

Notable: It just isn’t in Sid Bryson’s nature to sit on the sideline for long. Bryson, a former head coach and longtime assistant with the Chargers — for whom the Crest stadium is named — is back as an assistant coach this season.

“You have to like our backfield,” Burns coach Matt Beam. “We’ve got a good quarterback and some guys that can run it.”

Coachspeak: “We’re just ready to play. We’re excited about our group. We’ve got guys that know what they’re doing. So it’s not completely a teaching thing.

“We need to improve every day. We can’t listen to people telling us how good we are. If we work, we’ll be fine.

“I love their energy.”

Worth noting: Burns was the lone county team to practice at night on the first official day of workouts. The Bulldogs ran a variety of drills, from “strip and rip” working on ball security to one that focused on not jumping offsides on a hard snap count. Intensity and a fast pace were on full display.